Water conservation and efficiency: low-income residential customers.

Existing law sets forth general state policies regarding water resources. This bill would declare the policy of the state that all residents have access to water conservation and efficiency programs. The bill would also set forth related findings including that reaching the state's environmental justice goals and commitments requires designing climate adaptation programs so that all households may participate. Existing law establishes in the Natural Resources Agency the Department of Water Resources. Existing law also establishes in the California Environmental Protection Agency the State Water Resources Control Board to provide for the orderly and efficient administration of the water resources of the state. This bill would require, on and after January 1, 2025, urban wholesale water suppliers and urban water suppliers, as defined, to offer technical assistance and financial incentives, as described, to low-income residential customers to install efficient water conservation devices and climate resilient landscaping, as provided. The bill would require the department and the board to utilize, to the maximum extent allowable by law, existing funding programs to provide technical assistance and financial incentives for water conservation and efficiency to community water systems with fewer than 3,000 service connections serving disadvantaged communities, and to urban wholesale water suppliers and urban water suppliers that meet specified criteria. The bill would require the department and the board to prioritize assistance to community water systems with the greatest risks to water supply security. The bill would require the board, in cooperation with the department, prior to January 1, 2025, to hold at least one public workshop to solicit stakeholder input on technical assistance and financial incentive program design and implementation considerations. The bill would also require the board to adopt reporting requirements, as described, on or before July 1, 2026.